Ciggies and sausage roll purchase leads to Coffs Jetty crash

POLICE are hunting the driver of a black Holden Cruze sedan who allegedly left behind a trail of destruction from a Coffs Harbour Jetty traffic incident in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Two motor vehicle owners including an Irish backpacker were left to count the cost and contemplate their options after the driver of the Holden Cruze left a nearby petrol station and apparently lost control at about 2am.

He smashed into a car parked outside a backpacker's lodge on Harbour Drive and shunted this into another parked car.

The front vehicle finished with its rear end suspended in mid air.

The Irish national who owns the badly damaged Holden Commodore said he was wakened by a loud bang and ran into the street to see the Cruze wedged into the side of his vehicle and the driver standing on the road looking at the destruction.

The service station attendant said about five people came out but the Cruze driver ran away.

A witness said the man tried to reverse the stricken black car away from the wreckage but when he couldn't budge it, ran away from the scene.

Police attending believe they know the identity of the driver and now are keen to have him assist with their inquiries.

Before the incident, the missing driver is believed to have purchased cigarettes and a sausage roll at the service station before leaving the driveway at speed.